Hilsa ban ends: the jatka rules every fisher needs next
The 22-day mother hilsa ban ends on 29 October, and the eight-month jatka ban starts on 1 November. What is allowed, what is not, and how to get your rice support.
Fish farming (aquaculture) in Bangladesh — ponds, beels, rivers and coast
Raising fish, shrimp and crab in controlled or natural waters. Help on fry, feed, water quality and markets.
50.2 lakh t
Total fish produced a yearDaily Star, 2023-24
#2
World rank in freshwater fish productionFAO SOFIA 2024
5.71 lakh t
Hilsa — about 12% of all fishDaily Star, 2022-23
67.8 g
Fish per person per day (need: 60 g)Daily Star
Key points for farmers
- Buy quality fry from registered hatcheries.
- Stock to suit the size of your pond; overcrowded fish grow slowly and die more often.
- Watch the water's colour, oxygen and smell; contact the Upazila Fisheries Office if something changes.
- Respect the bans on catching hilsa and jatka (young hilsa).
- Ice your fish quickly after harvest; it keeps the price up.
For treatment and medicine doses, always ask your Upazila livestock or fisheries office or a registered vet.
Help in Bangladesh3
Department of Fisheriesমৎস্য অধিদপ্তর
CheckedFish-farming advice, fry and hatchery registration, and fishing ban notices.
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI)বাংলাদেশ মৎস্য গবেষণা ইনস্টিটিউট (BFRI)
Link to confirmBased in Mymensingh, with six stations including Chandpur, Khulna and Cox's Bazar. Won the Ekushey Padak in 2020.
Ministry of Fisheries and Livestockমৎস্য ও প্রাণিসম্পদ মন্ত্রণালয়
CheckedFisheries policy and projects.
International help2
WorldFishওয়ার্ল্ডফিশ
CheckedInternational research on aquaculture and food security, with long-running work in Bangladesh.
FAO Fisheries and AquacultureFAO মৎস্য ও জলজ চাষ
Link to confirmGlobal fisheries statistics and The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report.
Sources
From the blog
Every sector in one place
Beyond crops: separate pages for livestock, poultry, dairy, fish and bees.
LivestockRaising cattle, goats, sheep and buffalo for meat, milk, hides and fibre. Government and expert help on vaccination, treatment, breeds and markets in one place.PoultryRaising chickens, ducks and turkeys for meat and eggs. Help on chicks, feed, vaccination, bird flu and fair prices.DairyFarming focused on milk. Help on collection, cooperatives, feed, breeding and fair prices.BeesKeeping bees for honey and beeswax. The mustard, litchi and Sundarbans seasons, training and markets.InternationalThe world bodies that give farmers, livestock keepers, fish farmers and beekeepers free knowledge, training and standards, arranged by sector.